Batteries seem to die at the most inopportune moments. Imagine settling into the couch to watch the latest episode of your favorite TV show, only to discover the remote control is dead. To make matters worse, the “spares” in your storage case might be just as lifeless. Depending on how organized your collection is, you…
A Supercharged Solution
Inside every alkaline battery is a layer of zinc. When the battery powers a device, that zinc turns into zinc oxide to create electricity. However, before a battery is used, this internal zinc is a dense, gel-like paste that absorbs kinetic energy upon impact.
For this reason, if you drop a brand-new battery from a low height, the internal zinc gel will absorb the impact when it hits the floor. You should notice a dull “thud” and little to no bounce. When a battery is dead, the internal zinc oxide stiffens, losing its ability to cushion the fall and causing a slight bounce. Word to the wise: A drop of just a few inches is sufficient; any higher and you risk damaging the battery or the floor.
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The Limits of the Bounce Test
In 2015, researchers at Princeton University sought to prove the validity of the bounce test. Their findings showed that while the test works to some degree, there’s a bit of a gray area. It’s true that new batteries won’t bounce while dead ones will, but partially charged batteries have some spring in them too. In fact, batteries hit their maximum bounce level at around the 50% charge mark, meaning a battery will bounce just as high whether it’s half-full or dead.
Because of this, don’t rely on gravity to determine a battery’s exact charge. The test works very well for identifying a brand-new battery, but for a specific reading of how much charge is left, you’re better off using a handheld battery tester.
